IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchUne épée de Damoclès
Meaning: A disaster hanging over someone, liable to fall at any moment.
Literally: A sword of Damocles
Example: “La menace de licenciement pèse sur l'équipe comme une épée de Damoclès.” — The threat of layoffs hangs over the team like the sword of Damocles.
English equivalent: The sword of Damocles
Equivalents in other languages
English: the sword of Damocles
Origin: Cicero tells of the courtier Damocles, who envied his tyrant's fortune and was seated at his table beneath a sword suspended by a single horsehair. The lesson was about the anxiety of power, not about bad luck.
More French idioms
- Le démon de midi The midlife crisis, especially its romantic form.
- Mentir comme un arracheur de dents To lie brazenly and habitually.
- Dur à la détente Slow to understand — or, in the other sense, reluctant to part with money.
- Qui paye ses dettes s'enrichit Settling what you owe leaves you better off than owing it.
- Faire son deuil de quelque chose To accept that something is lost and give up on it.
- Jeter son dévolu sur quelque chose To settle firmly on something one intends to have.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
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